NutritionandPhysicalActivityBasics �

1

2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

The2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americansgivescience-basedadviceonfoodandphysicalactivitychoicesforhealth.Itsrecommendationsareforthegeneralpublicover2yearsofage.Toseethefull80-pageDietary Guidelinesreport,gotowww.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.KeyconceptsfromtheDietary Guidelinesaredescribedbelow.

Finding Your Way to a Healthier You Adaptedfrom2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Feel better today. Stay healthy for tomorrow.Here’show:Thefoodandphysicalactivitychoicesyoumakeeverydayaffectyourhealth—howyoufeeltoday,tomorrow,andinthefuture.Thescience-basedadviceoftheDietary Guidelines for Americans 2005highlightshowto:

Makesmartchoicesfromeveryfoodgroup.

Findyourbalancebetweenfoodandphysicalactivity.

Getthemostnutritionoutofyourcalories.

Youmaybeeatingplentyoffood,butnoteatingtherightfoodsthatgiveyourbodythenutrientsyouneedtobehealthy.Youmaynotbegettingenoughphysicalactivitytostayfitandburnthoseextracalories.

Eatingrightandbeingphysicallyactivearen’tjusta“diet”ora“program”–theyarekeystoahealthylifestyle.Withhealthfulhabits,youmayreduceyourriskofmanychronicdiseasessuchasheartdisease,diabetes,osteoporosis,andcertaincancers,andincreaseyourchancesforalongerlife.

Make smart choices from every food group.Thebestwaytogiveyourbodythebalancednutritionitneedsisbyeatingavarietyofnutrient-packedfoodseveryday.Justbesuretostaywithinyourcalorieneeds.

Ahealthyeatingplanisonethat:

Emphasizesfruits,vegetables,wholegrains,andfat-freeorlowfatmilkandmilkproducts.

■

■

■

■

2 Empowering Youth With Nutrition and Physical Activity

1

Includesleanmeats,poultry,fish,beans,eggs,andnuts.

Islowinsaturatedfats,transfats,cholesterol,salt(sodium),andaddedsugars.

Don’t give in when you eat out and are on the go.It’simportanttomakesmartfoodchoicesandwatchportionsizeswhereveryouare-atthegrocerystore,atwork,inyourfavoriterestaurant,orrunningerrands.Trythesetips:

Atthestore,planaheadbybuyingavarietyofnutrient-richfoodsformealsandsnacksthroughouttheweek.

Whengrabbinglunch,haveasandwichonwhole-grainbreadandchooselowfat/fat-freemilk,water,orotherdrinkswithoutaddedsugars.

Inarestaurant,optforsteamed,grilled,orbroileddishesinsteadofthosethatarefriedorsautéed.

Onalongcommuteorshoppingtrip,packsomefreshfruit,cut-upvegetables,stringcheesesticks,orahandfulofunsaltednutstohelpyouavoidimpulsive,lesshealthfulsnackchoices.

Mix up your choices within each food group.

Focus on fruits.Eatavarietyoffruits—whetherfresh,frozen,canned,ordried—ratherthanfruitjuiceformostofyourfruitchoices.Fora2,000-caloriediet,youwillneed2cupsoffruiteachday(forexample,1smallbanana,1largeorange,and¼cupofdriedapricotsorpeaches).

Vary your veggies.Eatmoredark-greenveggies,suchasbroccoli,kale,andotherdarkleafygreens;orangeveggies,suchascarrots,sweetpotatoes,pumpkin,andwintersquash;andbeansandpeas,suchaspintobeans,kidneybeans,blackbeans,garbanzobeans,splitpeas,andlentils.

Make half your grains whole. Eatatleast3ouncesofwhole-graincereals,breads,crackers,rice,orpastaeveryday.Oneounceisabout1sliceofbread,1cupofbreakfastcereal,or½cupofcookedriceorpasta.Looktoseethatgrainssuchaswheat,oats,orcornarereferredtoas“whole”inthelistofingredients.

Get your calcium-rich foods.Get3cupsoflowfatorfat-freemilk—oranequivalentamountoflowfatyogurtand/orlowfatcheese(1½ounces

■

■

■

■

■

■

NutritionandPhysicalActivityBasics �

1

ofcheeseequals1cupofmilk)—everyday.Forkidsaged2to8,it’s2cupsofmilk.Ifyoudon’torcan’tconsumemilk,chooselactose-freemilkproductsand/orcalcium-fortifiedfoodsandbeverages.

Go lean with protein.Chooseleanmeatsandpoultry.Bakeit,broilit,orgrillit.Andvaryyourproteinchoices—withmorefish,beans,peas,nuts,andseeds.

Know the limits on fats, salt, and sugars. ReadtheNutritionFactslabelonfoods.Lookforfoodslowinsaturatedfatsandtransfats.Chooseandpreparefoodsandbeverageswithlittlesalt(sodium)and/oraddedsugars(caloricsweeteners).

Find your balance between food and physical activity.Becomingahealthieryouisn’tjustabouteatinghealthy—it’salsoaboutphysicalactivity.Regularphysicalactivityisimportantforyouroverallhealthandfitness.Italsohelpsyoucontrolbodyweightbybalancingthecaloriesyoutakeinasfoodwiththecaloriesyouexpendeachday.

Adultsshouldbephysicallyactiveforatleast30minutesmostdaysoftheweek.

Increasingtheintensityorthetimethatyouarephysicallyactivecanhaveevengreaterhealthbenefitsandmaybeneededtocontrolbodyweight.About60minutesadaymaybeneededtopreventweightgain.

Childrenandteenagersshouldbephysicallyactivefor60minuteseveryday,ormosteveryday.

Get the most nutrition out of your calories.Thereisarightnumberofcaloriesforyoutoeateachday.Thisnumberdependsonyourage,activitylevel,andwhetheryou’retryingtogain,maintain,orloseweight.(2,000caloriesisthevalueusedasageneralreferenceonthefoodlabel.ButyoucancalculateyournumberatMyPyramid.gov.)Youcoulduseuptheentireamountonafewhigh-calorieitems,butchancesareyouwon’tgetthefullrangeofvitaminsandothernutrientsyourbodyneedstobehealthy.

Choosethemostnutritionally-richfoodsyoucanfromeachfoodgroupeachday—thosepackedwithvitamins,minerals,fiber,andothernutrientsbutlowerincalories.Pickfoodslikefruits,vegetables,wholegrains,andfat-freeorlowfatmilkproductsmoreoften.

■

■

■

� Empowering Youth With Nutrition and Physical Activity

1

Nutrition: To know the facts…use the label.

MostpackagedfoodshaveaNutritionFactslabel.Forahealthieryou,usethistooltomakesmartfoodchoicesquicklyandeasily.Trythesetips:

Keeptheselow:saturatedfats,transfats,cholesterol,andsodium.

Getenoughofthese:potassium,fiber,vitaminsAandC,calcium,andiron.

Usethe%DailyValue(DV)columnwhenpossible:5%DVorlessislow,20%DVormoreishigh.

Check servings and calories. Lookattheservingsizeandhowmanyservingsyouareactuallyconsuming.Ifyoudoubletheservingsyoueat,youdoublethecaloriesandnutrients,includingthe%DVs.

Make your calories count. Lookatthecaloriesonthelabelandcomparethemwithwhatnutrientsyouarealsogettingtodecidewhetherthefoodiswortheating.Whenoneservingofasinglefooditemhasover400caloriesperserving,itishighincalories.

Don’t sugarcoat it. Sincesugarscontributecalorieswithfew,ifany,nutrients,lookforfoodsandbeverageslowinaddedsugars.Readtheingredientlistandmakesurethataddedsugarsarenotoneofthefirstfewingredients.Somenamesforaddedsugars(caloricsweeteners)includesucrose,glucose,highfructosecornsyrup,cornsyrup,maplesyrup,andfructose.

■

■

■

Nutrition FactsServing Size 1 cup (228g)Servings Per Container 2

Amount Per Serving

Calories 250 Calories from Fat 110

% Daily V alue*

Total Fat 12g 18%

Saturated Fat 3g

Trans Fat 0g

15%

Cholesterol 30mg 10%Sodium 470mg 20%Total Carbohydrate 31g 10%

Dietary Fiber 0g 0%Sugars 5g

Protein 5g

Vitamin A 4%Vitamin C 2%Calcium 20%

Iron 4%

HOW TO READ A NUTRITIONFACTS LABEL

Macaroni&Cheese

StartHere

Limit theseNutrients

Get Enough of theseNutrients

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending onyour calorie needs:

Calories: 2,000 2,500

Total Fat Less than 65g 80g

Sat Fat Less than 20g 25gCholesterol Less than 300mg 300mgSodium Less than 2,400mg 2,400mgTotal Carbohydrate 300g 375g

Dietary Fiber 25g 30g

Footnote

Quick Guide to % Daily Value

5% or less is Low20% or more is High

NutritionandPhysicalActivityBasics 5

1

Know your fats.Lookforfoodslowinsaturatedfats, transfats,andcholesteroltohelpreducetheriskofheartdisease.Mostofthefatsyoueatshouldbepolyunsaturatedandmonounsaturatedfats.Keeptotalfatintakebetween20and35percentofcalories.

Reduce sodium (salt), increase potassium.Researchshowsthateatinglessthan2,300milligramsofsodium(about1tspofsalt)perdaymayreducetheriskofhighbloodpressure.Mostofthesodiumpeopleeatcomesfromprocessedfoods,notfromthesaltshaker.Alsolookforfoodshighinpotassium,whichcounteractssomeofsodium’seffectsonbloodpressure.

Play it safe with food.

Knowhowtoprepare,handle,andstorefoodsafelytokeepyouandyourfamilysafe:

Cleanhands,food-contactsurfaces,fruits,andvegetables.Toavoidspreadingbacteriatootherfoods,meatandpoultryshouldnotbewashedorrinsed.

Separateraw,cooked,andready-to-eatfoodswhileshopping,preparing,orstoring.

Cookmeat,poultry,andfishtosafeinternaltemperaturestokillmicroorganisms.

Chillperishablefoodspromptlyandthawfoodsproperly.

■

■

■

■

180°F

170°F

165°F

160°F

145°F

140°F

40°F

0°F

Whole poultry

Poultry breasts

Stuffing, ground poultry,reheat leftovers

Meats (medium), egg dishes,pork, and ground meats

Beef steaks, roasts, veal, lamb(medium rare)

Hold hot foods

Refrigerator temperatures

Freezer temperatures

DANGER ZONE

� Empowering Youth With Nutrition and Physical Activity

1

About alcohol.

Alcoholicbeveragesshouldnotbeconsumedbysomeindividuals,includingchildrenandadolescents,amongotherpopulationsspecificallymentionedintheDietary Guidelines for Americans.Ifadultschoosetodrinkalcohol,theyshoulddosoinmoderation.Moderatedrinkingmeansupto1drinkadayforwomenandupto2drinksformen.Twelveouncesofregularbeer,5ouncesofwine,or1½ouncesof80-proofdistilledspiritscountasadrinkforpurposesofexplainingmoderation.Rememberthatalcoholicbeverageshavecaloriesbutarelowinnutritionalvalue.

Generally,anythingmorethanmoderatedrinkingcanbeharmfultoyourhealth.Andsomepeople,orpeopleincertainsituations,shouldn’tdrinkatall.Ifyouhavequestionsorconcerns,talktoyourdoctororhealthcareprovider.

NutritionandPhysicalActivityBasics �

1

MyPyramid Food Guidance System

TheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculturehaspackagedrecommendationsfromtheDietary Guidelines for AmericansintotheMyPyramid Food Guidance System.MyPyramidwasdesignedtoprovidemanyoptionstohelpAmericansmakehealthyfoodchoicesandtobeactiveeveryday.TherecommendationsinMyPyramidareforthegeneralpublicover2yearsofage.MyPyramidisnotatherapeuticdietforanyspecifichealthcondition.Individualswithachronichealthconditionshouldconsultwithahealthcareprovidertodeterminewhatdietarypatternisappropriateforthem.Formoredetailedinformation,gotoMyPyramid.gov.TheMyPyramidgraphic,slogan,messages,andanatomyaredepictedbelow.

� Empowering Youth With Nutrition and Physical Activity

1

U.S

. Dep

artm

ent of

Agr

icul

ture

Food

and

Nut

ritio

n Se

rvic

eJu

ly 2

00

5FN

S-3

80

Your

food

and

phy

sica

lact

ivity

cho

ices

eac

hda

yaf

fect

you

rhea

lth—

how

you

feel

toda

y,

tom

orro

w,a

ndin

the

futu

re.

Thes

etip

san

did

eas

are

ast

artin

gpo

int.

You

will

find

aw

ealth

ofs

ugge

stio

nsa

tM

yPyr

amid

.gov

that

can

hel

pyo

uge

tsta

rted

tow

ard

ahe

alth

ydi

et.C

hoos

ea

chan

ge

that

you

can

mak

eto

day,

and

mov

eto

war

da

heal

thie

ryou

.

NutritionandPhysicalActivityBasics �

1

�0 Empowering Youth With Nutrition and Physical Activity

1

Facts About Heart Disease

Did you know?

CoronaryheartdiseaseisthesinglelargestkillerofAmericanmalesandfemales.

Aboutevery26secondsanAmericanwillsufferacoronaryevent,andabouteveryminutesomeonewilldiefromone.

In2005,37percentofstudentsingrades9to12viewedtelevision3ormorehoursontheaverageschoolday.

In2005,24percentofadultAmericansdidnotparticipateinanyleisure-timephysicalactivitiesinthepastmonth.

Theriskofdevelopingheartdiseasemaybedecreasedbyfollowingahealthydietandbeingphysicallyactive.

What is heart disease?Heartdiseaseoccurswhenthearteriesthatsupplybloodtotheheartmusclebecomehardenedandnarrowedduetoabuildupofplaqueontheinnerwallsofthearteries.Heartdiseasecausesadecreaseintheheart’sabilitytoworkproperly.Heartattacks,strokes,andhighbloodpressureareallfactorsthatcandamagetheheart.

What is a heart attack?Aheartattackcanoccurwhenanarterythatsuppliesbloodtotheheartbecomesblocked.Thiscanhappenwhenthereisabuildupoffatorcholesterolorabloodclot.Withoutoxygen-richblood,theheartmusclesufferssignificantdamageanddies.

What is a stroke?Astrokeoccurswhenanarterythattransportsbloodandoxygentothebrainbecomesblockedorwhenabloodvesselinthebrainbursts.Withoutenoughoxygen,braincellsdieresultinginmemorylossaswellasaninabilitytotalk,walk,ormove.Oncebraincellsdie,theycannotbereplaced.

■

■

■

■

■

NutritionandPhysicalActivityBasics ��

1

What is high blood pressure?Bloodpressureisameasureoftheforcewithwhichbloodpushesagainstthearterywallsasitispumpedthroughthecardiovascularsystem.Optimalbloodpressureforadultsis<120/<80.Abloodpressurereadingof140/90isconsideredhighandisdiagnosedashypertension.Hypertensionmeansthatthereistoomuchpressureonthearterywallsandthehearthastoworkhardertopumpblood.Highbloodpressurecanbegininchildhood,andovertimemaycausethehearttoenlargeandthearteriestobecomescarred,hardened,andlesselastic.Lesselasticarteriesaremorelikelytobecomeclogged,settingthestageforaheartattackorstroke.Highbloodpressurecanalsoleadtokidneyfailureifbloodvesselsinthekidneyaredamaged,and/orblindnessasarteriesintheeyebecometoonarrow.OneinfourAmericanssuffersfromhighbloodpressureandnearlyone-thirdofthesepeopledonotknowtheyhaveit.

What are the risk factors for heart disease?

High blood pressure. Excessivesodiumintakehasbeenshowntoraisebloodpressure.The2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendseatingnomorethan2,300mg.ofsodium(theamountfoundin1teaspoonofsalt)aday.Byage17,theaveragechildconsumes3,670mg.daily!

High blood cholesterol.Consumingfoodshighinsaturatedfat,transfat,andcholesterol,suchasmeat,milk,andmilkproducts,canleadtohighbloodcholesterollevels.About10percentofadolescentsages12–19havetotalcholesterollevelsexceeding200mg/dL,whichisconsideredhightotalbloodcholesterol.

Obesity and overweight. Being20percentormoreaboveidealbodyweightdoublestheriskofdevelopingheartdisease.Extraweightaroundandabovethewaistisassociatedwithanincreasedrisk.

Physical inactivity. Theriskforheartdiseaseis1.5to2.4timeshigherforpeoplewhoareinactivecomparedwiththosewhoarephysicallyactiveonaregularbasis.Thisincreaseinriskiscomparabletothatobservedforpeoplewhohavehighbloodcholesterolorhighbloodpressure,orpeoplewhosmokecigarettes.

�2 Empowering Youth With Nutrition and Physical Activity

1

Smoking.Smokershavemorethandoubletheriskofhavingaheartattackthannonsmokers.Smokingdamagesthebloodvesselsandstimulatesthedevelopmentoffattydepositsaroundthearteries.

Heredity.Highbloodcholesterolandhighbloodpressurearealsorelatedtogenetics.Childrenwhoseparentshavehighcholesterolorhighbloodpressurearemorelikelytodeveloptheseconditionswhichcontributetoheartdisease.

Gender. Menhavemoreheartdiseasethanwomen,butitisstillthegreatestkillerofwomen.

Age. Aboutfouroutoffivepeoplewhodieofaheartattackareage65orolder.Heartdiseaseprimarilyaffectsmiddle-agedandolderadults,buttheriskisincreasinginyoungerpeople,especiallyamongoverweight,inactiveyoungadults.

How can I decrease my risk of developing heart disease?

Fill up on fiber. Youcanincreasetheamountoffiberinyourdietbyincludingmorebeans.Trycookingchiliandbeansoups;addkidneybeanstoriceandsalads.Rootvegetables,suchassweetpotatoes,aregoodsourcesoffiber.Tryaddingthesevegetablestosoupsorstews.Addapplesandpearstoslawsandsalads.Othergoodsourcesoffiberarepeas,oranges,raspberries,oatbran,whole-wheatbreads,ryewafercrackers,andwhole-grainbreakfastcereals.Readthefoodlabel;foodswith20%ormoreofthe%DVforfibercontributealargeamount,whilefoodswith5%orlessofthe%DVcontributeasmallamountoffiber.

Eat less saturated and trans fats. Knowyourlimitsforfat.Adultsshouldkeeptotalfatintakebetween20to35percentofcalories,withmostfatscomingfromsourcesofpolyunsaturatedandmonounsaturatedfattyacids,suchasfish,nuts,andvegetableoils.Therecommendationforchildrenandadolescentsistokeeptotalfatintakebetween25to35percentofcaloriesforages4to18.

Choose baked, steamed, or broiled rather than fried foods most often. Limityourconsumptionofsolidorsaturatedfatssuchasbutterandhardorstickmargarine.Usevegetableoils(canola,olive,safflower,corn,sunflower,sesameseed)asasubstitute.Othermajorsourcesofsaturatedfatincludegroundbeef(hamburgermeat),sausage,hotdogs,

NutritionandPhysicalActivityBasics ��

1

bologna,wholemilk,cheese,icecream,pies,pastries,andchocolatebars.Chooseleanmeatsandpoultryandfat-freeorlowfat(1%)milkproductsandsoftmargarine.Cutbackonhardorstickmargarine,cakes,cookies,andpiesthatcontainpartiallyhydrogenatedoils(transfat).

Eat fewer foods that are high in cholesterol. Foodscontainingcholesterolcomefromanimalsandanimalproductssuchasmeat,poultry,shellfish,wholemilkandwhole-milkproducts,butter,lard,andeggyolks.

Eat fewer high-sodium foods.High-sodiumfoodsincludemanyprocessedfoodsthatarecannedordehydratedsuchasinstantramennoodlesoups;processedmeats(hotdogs,bologna,sausage,bacon);processedcheese(American);frozendinners;cannedpastaandsoups;flavoredriceandpastamixes;andmostfastfoods.Lookforlower-sodiumversionsofmanyoftheseproducts.

Be physically active to protect your heart.PhysicalactivitycanraiseHDL(good)cholesterol,lowerbloodpressure,andhelpmaintainweight.Adultsshouldgetatleast30minutesofmoderate-intensityphysicalactivitymostdaysoftheweek,preferablyeveryday.Childrenandadolescentsneed60minutesofphysicalactivityonmost,preferablyall,daysoftheweek,includingmoderatetovigorousexercise.Examplesofmoderatephysicalactivitiesinclude:lightgardening/yardwork,walking,anddancing.

Formoreinformationonheartdisease,contactyourlocalchapteroftheAmericanHeartAssociationorvisitwww.americanheart.org.

�� Empowering Youth With Nutrition and Physical Activity

1

Facts About Diabetes

Did you know?

DiabetesisthesixthleadingcauseofdeathintheUnitedStates.

Diabetesisachronicdiseaseforwhichthereisnocure.Altogether,diabetescontributedto213,000deathsin2000.

Approximately20.8millionor7%ofallAmericanshavediabetes,howeverone-thirdofthemdonotknowtheyhaveit.

Eachyearmorethan82,000amputationsareperformedonAmericanswithdiabetes.

Tento21percentofallpeoplewithdiabetesdevelopkidneydisease.

Theprevalenceoftype2diabetesisontheriseamongadolescents.Studiesindicatethattype2diabetesisbecomingmorecommonamongNativeAmerican,African-American,andHispanicchildrenandadolescents.

What is diabetes?Diabetesoccurswhenthebodyisunabletotransportsugarfromthebloodintothecellsinthebody.Leftuntreated,diabetescanleadtoblindness,kidneyfailure,andnervedamageinthefeetandthelegs.

What are the two types of diabetes?1.Type1diabetesoccurswhenthebodyisunabletoproduceinsulin

(thehormonethattransportssugarfromthebloodintocells).Type1diabetesusuallydevelopsinchildhood,anditscauseisnotentirelyunderstood.Somescientistshavelinkedittobothgeneticandenvironmentalcomponents.

2.Type2diabetesoccurswhenthereisadecreaseinthecells’sensitivitytoinsulin.Itusuallyoccursinadultsovertheageof40whoareoverweightorobeseandphysicallyinactive,butthereisnowariseinthenumberofchildrenandadolescentsdiagnosedwiththedisease.Itisbelievedthatanincreaseinoverweightratesamongyoungpeopleisonecomponentofthefactorsthatleadtoincreasesintype2diabetes.

■

■

■

■

■

■

NutritionandPhysicalActivityBasics �5

1

What are the risk factors for type 2 diabetes?

Diet

Physicalinactivity

Obesityandoverweight

Familyhistoryofdiabetes

How can I decrease my risk of developing type 2 diabetes?

Followahealthydietlowinfatandrichinfruitsandvegetablestohelppreventexcessiveweightgain.

Getatleast30minutesofmoderate-intensityphysicalactivitymostdaysoftheweek,preferablyeverydayforadultsandatleast60minutesofphysicalactivityforchildrenandadolescentsonmost,preferablyall,daysoftheweek.

Formoreinformation,contacttheAmericanDiabetesAssociationat800-342-2383orvisitwww.diabetes.org.

■

■

■

■

■

■

�� Empowering Youth With Nutrition and Physical Activity

1

Facts About Fats

Fatsarethemostconcentratedsourceofcaloriesandsomefatshavebeenassociatedwiththedevelopmentofheartdiseaseandotherseriousillnesses.Althoughahighintakeoffathasbeenassociatedwiththedevelopmentofcertaindiseases,certaintypesoffatsareessentialforgoodhealth.

Why do we need some fat in our diet?

Fat:providesessentialfattyacidssuchaslinolenic,alsoknownasOmega-3,andlinoleic,alsoknownasOmega-6(essentialfattyacidsarefatsthatthebodycannotmanufacture);

isnecessaryfortheabsorptionofimportantvitamins(A,D,E,K);actsasaninsulatortomaintainbodytemperature;suppliesoilstoskinandhairfolliclesforahealthiercomplexionandshinyhair;

improvesthetasteoffoodsandpromotesdigestion.

What are the different types of fats?

Saturated fatsareusuallysolidoralmostsolidatroomtemperature(e.g.,butter,lard).Thesefoodsintroducecholesterolintothebodywhichmayraisebloodcholesterollevelsandincreasetheriskofcardiovasculardisease.Saturatedfatisfoundinanimalproductssuchasmeat,poultry,andwhole-fatmilkandmilkproducts,suchascheese,butter,andcream,aswellasprocessedandfastfoods.

Unsaturated fats (e.g.,monounsaturated,polyunsaturated)areusuallyliquidorsoftatroomtemperature(e.g.,vegetableoilsandsoftmargarine).Someexceptionsincludeunsaturatedfatsfoundinolives,avocados,andpeanutbutter.Whensubstitutedforsaturatedfat,unsaturatedfatmaylowercholesterollevelsorhelpreducetheriskofheartdisease.

Trans fats arecreatedwhenoilsare“partiallyhydrogenated”toturnliquidoilsintosolidmargarineorshortening.Foodsthatarehighintransfatincludehardorstickmargarine,cakes,cookies,pies,andotherfattyfoodsmadewithpartiallyhydrogenated(partiallyhardened)oils.Transfatcontributestoelevatedbloodcholesterollevelsandcanincreaseheartdiseaserisk.

■

■

■

NutritionandPhysicalActivityBasics ��

1

How can I know the limits on fats in my diet?

Themaximumamountoffatapersonshouldconsumedailydependsonhisorherage,gender,physicalactivity,growth,andthenumberofcaloriesheorsheconsumes.Itisrecommendedthatadultsshouldkeeptotalfatintakebetween20to35percentofcalories,withmostfatscomingfromsourcesofpolyunsaturatedandmonounsaturatedfattyacids,suchasfish,nuts,andvegetableoils.Therecommendationforchildrenandadolescentsistokeeptotalfatintakebetween25to35percentofcaloriesforages4to18yearsold.Makesureyourtotalfatintakeiswithintherecommendedrange.

1.Limityouruseofsolidorsaturatedfatssuchasbutterandhardorstickmargarine.Usevegetableoils(canola,olive,safflower,corn,sunflower,sesameseed,ortubmargarinelowinsaturatedandtransfat)assubstitutes.

2.Cutbackonfoodsthatcontainpartiallyhydrogenatedoilssuchascakes,cookies,andpies.

3.Avoidfoodsthatarefriedsuchaschickenandfish,Frenchfries,friedcheeseandzucchinisticks,donuts,andpotatochips.Replacetheseitemswiththosethatarebaked.

4.Choosefat-freeorlowfat(1%)milkproducts.

5.Chooseleanmeatsandpoultrywithoutskin.

6.ReadyourNutritionFactslabeltocomparethe%DVforfatandsaturatedfatandtochoosefoodswithalower%DV.Foodswith5%DVorlessforfatcontributeasmallamountoffatwhile20%DVormoreforfatcontributealargeamount.

What is your Limit on Fat?

Adolescents Total Calories Saturated Fat Total Fat Per day in Grams* in Grams** 1,600 18orless 44-62 2,000 20orless 56-78 2,200 24orless 61-86 2,500 25orless 69-97 2,800 31orless 78-109

*Thislimitislessthan10%ofcaloriesfromsaturatedfat.**Thislimitis25-35%ofcaloriesfromtotalfat.

�� Empowering Youth With Nutrition and Physical Activity

1

Compare the Saturated Fat in Foods

Saturated Fat % Daily Value Food Category Content in Grams of Saturated Fat**

Cheese‑—‑1 oz.Regularcheddarcheese 6.0 30.0%Lowfatcheddarcheese* 1.2 6.0%

Ground Beef‑—‑3 oz. cooked Regulargroundbeef(25%fat) 6.1 30.5%Extraleangroundbeef(5%fat)* 2.6 13.0%

Milk‑—‑1 cup Wholemilk(3.24%) 4.6 23.0%Lowfat(1%)milk* 1.5 7.5%

Breads‑—‑1 medium Croissant 6.6 33.0%Bagel* 0.2 1.0%

Frozen Desserts‑—‑1/2 cup Regularicecream 4.9 24.5%Frozenyogurt,lowfat* 2.0 10.0%

Table spreads‑—‑1 tsp. Butter 2.4 12.0%Softmargarinewithzerotrans* 0.7 3.5%

Chicken‑—‑3 oz. Friedchicken(legwithskin) 3.3 16.5%Roastedchicken(breast,noskin)* 0.9 4.5%

Fish‑—‑3 oz. Friedfish 2.8 14.0%Bakedfish* 1.5 7.5%

* Choicethatislowerinsaturatedfat**PercentDailyValues(DV)areestimatedbasedona2,000-caloriediet.

NutritionandPhysicalActivityBasics ��

1

Facts About Cholesterol

Highbloodcholesterolcanincreaseyourriskofdevelopingheartdisease.Althougheatingtoomuchsaturatedfatisthechiefculpritinraisingbloodcholesterol,eatingtoomuchdietarycholesterolcanalsoplayapart.

What is cholesterol?Cholesterolisafatty-likesubstancethatthebodyusesformanychemicalprocesses.Itbuildsandrepairscells,isusedtoproducesexhormones,suchasestrogenandtestosterone,isconvertedtobileacidstohelpyoudigestfood,andisfoundinlargeamountsinbrainandnervetissue.

Where does cholesterol come from?Yourlivermanufacturescholesterol,andyoucanalsoconsumecholesterolinfoods.Dietarycholesterolisfoundonlyinfoodsthatareofanimaloriginsuchasmeat(particularlyorganmeatslikeliverorkidney),eggyolks,shellfish,andmilkandmilkproducts.Thereisnocholesterolinplantfoodssuchasfruits,vegetables,andvegetableoils.

What are the different types of cholesterol?Cholesteroltravelsinthebloodincombinationscalledlipoproteins.

Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)isoftencalled“bad”cholesterolbecausetoomuchLDLinthebloodcanleadtocholesterolbuildupandblockageinthearteries.LDLdeliverscholesteroltoyourarterieswhichcanleadtoabuildupofplaque.Overtime,abuildupofplaquecanmakeyourarteriesnarrowerandnarrower.Asaresult,lessbloodgetstotheheartandtheriskofheartdiseaseincreases.EatingtoomuchsaturatedfatandcholesterolcanraisethelevelofLDLcholesterolinyourblood.

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)isknownas“good”cholesterolbecauseHDLhelpsremovecholesterolfromtheblood,preventingitfromaccumulatinginthearteries.HighlevelsofHDLareassociatedwithadecreasedriskofheartdisease.RegularphysicalactivitycanincreaseHDLlevels.

20 Empowering Youth With Nutrition and Physical Activity

1

How can I lower my blood cholesterol?

Limit daily dietary cholesterol to 300 mg or less.Foodshighincholesterolincludeliver,eggyolks,andshrimp.

Limit intake of saturated fats.Saturatedfatsaremostlyfoundinanimalfat,suchaslard,butter,beeffat,andcream.Usetheleanestcutsofmeat,avoidtheskinofpoultry,andusefat-freeorlowfatmilk,yogurt,andcheese.Tropicaloils,suchaspalm,palmkernel,andcoconut,alsocontainlargeamountsofsaturatedfats.Theseoilsarehiddenincoffeecreamers,whippedtoppings,commerciallybakedgoods,andchocolatecandy.

Limit intake of trans fatty acids. Transfatsarecreatedwhenfoodsarepartiallyhydrogenatedtomakethemsolid—likestickmargarine.Thesetypesoffatscanalsobefoundincommerciallybakedgoods,friedfoods,andpreparedconveniencefoods.Liquidoilsandtransfat-freesoftmargarinesareyourbestchoices.

Increase your fiber intake.Foodscontainingsolublefiber(suchasoats,beans,lentils,barley,andvegetables,andfruits,suchasapples,pears,raspberries,oranges,andbananas)canhelplowerbloodcholesterollevels.Thesolublefiberinthesefoodshelpsreducethefatandcholesterolthatyourbodyabsorbsfromyourintestinaltract.

Two cups of fruits and 2½ cups of vegetables a day are recommended for a 2,000-calorie diet.Fruitsandvegetablesprovidefiber,vitamins,minerals,antioxidants,andphytochemicals.Oranges,guava,pears,okra,cookeddrybeans,andpeasarehighinsolublefiber,whichhasbeenshowntolowercholesterol.Sweetpotatoes,potatoes,tomatoes,cantaloupes,watermelons,carrots,andpeachesarehighinbeta-caroteneandothernutrients.Spinach,broccoli,cabbage,andothergreenleafyvegetablesarearichsourceofantioxidants.

Stay physically active.Adultsshouldgetatleast30minutesofmoderate-intensityphysicalactivitymostdaysoftheweek,preferablyeveryday.Childrenandadolescentsneedatleast60minutesofphysicalactivityeveryday.

NutritionandPhysicalActivityBasics 2�

1

Facts About Sodium

Nearlyoneinthreeadultshashighbloodpressure.Studiesindicatethatadiethighinsodiumcanleadtoanincreaseinbloodpressure.

What is sodium?Sodiumisamineralthatisessentialforlife.Itisimportantformaintainingproperfluidbalanceinthebodyandaidsinnervetransmissionandmusclecontraction.

How much sodium do our bodies need?Toreplacesaltlostinurine,feces,andsweat,thebodyneedsabout500mgofsodiumaday(lessthan¼teaspoonofsalt).Itisrecommendedforadultstoconsumenomorethan2,300mgofsodium(about1teaspoonofsalt)aday.For9-to13-year-olds,therecommendationis2,200mg/d.

Where do we get sodium from?Saltisournumberonedietarysourceofsodium.TheaverageAmericaneats6,000mgofsodium(2½teaspoonsofsalt)aday,whichexceedsrecommendations:15percentcomesfromthesaltshaker,10percentoccursnaturallyinfoods,and75percentisinprocessedfoods(luncheonmeats,bacon,sausage,cannedsoupsandvegetables).

How can I decrease the sodium in my diet?

Limityourintakeofprocessedfoods.

Chooseunprocessedmeats.

Choosefreshorfrozenfish,shellfish,andpoultrymoreoften.

Choosefresh,plainfrozen,orcannedvegetableswithoutaddedsaltmoreoften.

Donotusesaltatthetable.

Donotaddsaltwhilepreparingmeals.

Substituteherbs,spices,orlemonjuiceforsalt.

ReadNutritionFactslabelsandchoosefoodswithlowerlevelsofsodiumand/orsalt.

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

22 Empowering Youth With Nutrition and Physical Activity

1

Foods Typically High In Sodium*

Processedcheese Luncheonmeats

Hotdogs Bacon

Catsup Manyfrozenentrees

Soysauce Cannedentrees

Cannedsoups Flavoredpastaandricemixes

Pizza Mostchips

Manysnackcrackers

*Youcanusuallyfindlowersodiumversionsofthesefoods.